SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS VS BALTIMORE RAVENS GAMEDAY THREAD- SUPER BOWL XLVII

Ravens are playing their best football in all phases right now. I can understand why some would pick them. I just think the 49ers are more talented, faster, and dynamic.

I think the 49ers will stop Ray Rice and make them one-dimensional. A common misconception is that Rice is a very powerful runner. His yards after contact average was one of the worst among starting RB's. He's a slippery runner, but we have the best tackling defense in the league. He's not Marshawn Lynch or Adrian Peterson. Last year, we held him to 59 yards on 21 carries behind the same O-line (only difference being Osemele at LG). My biggest concern with Rice is him catching the football out of the backfield. We've done a nice job sniffing out RB screens lately.

Assuming we stop the run, I question the Ravens' ability to consistently beat us through the air. Flacco has been exceptional this postseason, but not unstoppable. He's only completing 54% of his passes. They've beaten teams deep over the top, and they will take plenty of shots against us. Taking away the deep ball is key, because I don't think they are capable of racking up 1st downs through the air against us. We should know what to expect. We've beaten better QB's with better passing options all year long.

It will be interesting to see how the Ravens choose to defend us. I hear a lot of analysts say all you have to do to stop the read-option is hit the QB constantly. Against our pistol set, it's not that simple. Often times we have Bruce Miller in the backfield to block the free rusher, adjusting his blocking angle depending on whether the QB keeps it or hands it off. Kaep has not been touched all postseason for a reason.

Offensively, we'll line up mostly in 2 TE sets. This is great for a few reasons. The Ravens have not defended well against 2 TE sets, and they have been vulnerable to the play-action pass. Since Kaep has been starting, we have been the best play-action team in the NFL. Pollard is an in-the-box safety, and he will have to play there if they want to stop our running attack. This leaves them susceptible to our play-action. Their best corner has been their nickel back, Corey Graham, who comes off the field in 2 TE sets. The starting corners, Williams and Brown, can be beaten consistently. Expect Crabtree and Moss to have nice games.

We also know that the Ravens will have to play a lot of zone coverage. No way they play man-coverage and turn their backs on Kaep, especially on 3rd down. Even then, Kaep has shown the ability to knife through the defense. His yards per attempt is actually higher than Flacco's, and his completion % is nearly 10 percentage points higher. Flacco throws a pretty ball, but Kaep has been the better passer.

Gore and James behind this O-Line has been a lethal combination. Nobody has had an answer for it yet. The Ravens were not very good against the run this year, and part of that has been due to injury. One guy that has been healthy is Haloti Ngata. He has the ability to be a game-wrecker, but even with him in the lineup, the Ravens have not been good at stuffing running plays at the line. They've improved in the postseason once they got Ray Lewis and Ellerbe healthy, but you can get to the 2nd level against these guys. With our diverse running game, Lewis and Ellerbe will have to be sideline-to-sideline players, which is not their strength.

Obviously I'm a bit biased, but all analysis of the matchups and schemes point towards the 49ers winning. This year we have two balanced teams, but the 49ers are younger, faster, more talented, and are doing some innovative things on offense. It's our time, and I honestly feel we will be too much for the Ravens to handle. Everyone is predicting a close game, but not me. We win by 2 scores.

Yeah, my nerves are getting into full gear right now.

AFC Divisional Champions are 0-6 against NFC Playoff teams.

Raven's are the weakest Divisional champion in that soft Conference.

I know the Ravens fans are trying to talk themselves into a victory and some of our fans are trying to remain skeptical about this team. All the talk ends tomorrow and the Niners show why they're the best team in the NFL.

GO NINERS!!

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
Holy shot tomorrow will deteine whether we spend 6 monthst b***hing and moaning or 6 months basking in pure 100% championship silver.

gonna bask, lol

Originally posted by SofaKing:
Everyone is predicting a close game, but not me. We win by 2 scores.

This is what I've been feeling as well since we beat Atlanta.

I'm more and more confident. I say we beat this s**t out of them. Speed and youth trumps "hope" sorry Baltimore.

Originally posted by TheTruth52:
Ravens D allows 14 on avg in the Playoffs.. SF Offense scores 36 on avg

Ravens Offense scores 28 on avg in the Playoffs SF Defense allows 24 on avg

Final Score:

Ravens 26 49ers 25

Close Game !!

25? You have any idea how hard it is to score 25 points? I can think of only 2 times Ive ever seen that. I think last year Berman predicted a game 19-18, sounds like something he would come up with.

Originally posted by socalfan21:

I'm more and more confident. I say we beat this s**t out of them. Speed and youth trumps "hope" sorry Baltimore.

This! Its not gonna be that close! 49 26 49ers

Will montana be at the game? I hope he whispers some sweet nothings in kaps ear!

25 points? How does that work? Two TD's, three FG's and a safety? Hoookay.

I'd like to see another 89 or 94, but I have a hard time believing that if he had the chance, Jim Harbaugh would run the score up on his brother. Three TD spread is probably as far as he would let it go before just running on every play.

I have a feeling the ravens know they won't get to kaep so they're going to deliver a lot of late hits like the saints did to farve a couple years ago in the NFC championship, and we won't get the calls

Aldon Smith better show up this game

Ravens have no chance. Baltimore is old and tired and very slow.. 49ers will blow them out. 45-7.

San Francisco 49ers are Gay America's team!

Originally posted by queers4niners:
Ravens have no chance. Baltimore is old and tired and very slow.. 49ers will blow them out. 45-7.

San Francisco 49ers are Gay America's team!

Originally posted by dj43:
My keys to game:

Baltimore will take the same approach Atlanta did with Kaepernick, i.e., keep the OLBs wide to take away Ck's outside running lane and keep him in the pocket. Only the Ravens are better and more disciplined on the outside than the Falcons.

Haloti Ngata is the key to stopping Gore. As the season has gone along, Ngata has gotten healthy and controlling the middle of the OL. If he has a good game, Baltimore has a good chance of winning a low scoring game.

Ravens secondary is better and more physical than Atlanta. They will try to beat up Crabtree and take away his enthusiasm for going over the middle. Other receivers will have to play a roll if the passing game is to succeed.

49ers must hit Flacco early and often. If they can force him to start moving around he will lose his effectiveness. If he has time to get comfortable in the pocket he will make some big plays.

SF must control Ray Rice. He is a big part of that offense both running and receiving. If he gets over 125 yards total offense it may be a long day for 49er defenders.

Dashon Goldson must play under control. No late hit penalties. He must also control his desire to look for the big hit. He must stay home and help defend Torrey Smith. It the Balti run game gets going, Flacco will use play action to influence Goldson and single Smith on Culliver or Brown. In either matchup, Smith will make some plays if Flacco has time to deliver the ball.

Finally, don't underestimate JOHN Harbaugh. The guy can coach. He changes things up to take away the momentum of the opponent. He will allow the emotion of Ray Lewis to fire up his team but he also controls that well.

If the game is close, it favors the Ravens. If it is high scoring, the 49ers will prevail.

Ravens D is too stout and healthy, the last defense they seen this good was Seattle and we know how that turned out, granted there are different circumstances but the on field challenge with be much more difficult than that of GB or ATL